NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

March 20, 2022

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

New York Red Bull 1, Columbus Crew 1

GERHARD STRUBER: Difficult game. I think we have improved directions today for us, first half, second half. Not always an easy life with a very good opponent. I think we controlled more in the first half, and the second half was an open game. We are lucky in two or three moments.

But in the end, I think we, score, and then I think it's the most important thing, bring the points home. And I think in this situation, we was not clever. We was not smart enough to manage the game home, and yeah, this was -- in the end, it's losing two points over the whole game. I think we can be happy with one point but when you realize in the end to score the goal, we are in the lead, and then you bring not the points home, then it's more a disappointing feeling. Yeah but this is my short analysis.

Q. Talk about the end of the game after they scored, what did you see when they equalized or what has to get better with that?

GERHARD STRUBER: I think this is a moment that we can better manage. This is the first situation that we have a good chance. With a pressing moment, we can get the ball over there, over the line, and I think the (indiscernible) -- missed on single stand. But we lose in a very good moment for us, very easy, the ball. And then some players are not on the same page with pressing or we stay, and then I think they come on the ball first side, one-one in the right areas. And we know that. Close balls, yeah, they are good with that.

I think, yeah, I think this is very, very painful that we are not on the same page in the last minutes, and I think this is, yeah, a big learning point for every single player how we can handle that. And I think especially that we lose the ball, not so easy in a good moment, and the next, it's pressing time or it's more the time to be compact. And I think we spoke the last few weeks many times about that; when it's the right moment to go and when it's the right moment to be compact. The game was over, yeah. Stay compact and everything is stagnant. This is, I think, yeah, we have to learn in that.

Q. You just mentioned that the team looked better in the first half. There was some more possession and chances created in the first half, and then the team kind of lost shape in the second half. Just some of your thoughts on what went wrong for the team and how you tried to maybe adjust to that with some of your substitution.

GERHARD STRUBER: I would say we have in the first half, not a -- we have be a little bit more control but not with the intensity what we want. But the intensity in the second half was much better, and we go in a high-risk moment to bring many numbers in the attacking area.

I think this was in one or the other moment necessary, but we forget a little bit to save the last line and they can do very good counter possibilities. I think this was more the setup, and rest defense was not always on the right level.

I'm always ready for moments where we stay so high, it's sometimes a problem, and they played us very well. In this moment, we can see how good or the highest quality from Columbus Crew.

Yeah, I think we had in these moments a little bit luck but one more time in the end, we are on the lead, and I think when we are a little bit clever, more clever, we bring the points home. Yeah, this is more a painful feeling right now.

Q. In the 52nd minute, you substituted Patryk Kamala. What was the reasoning behind that? You spoke about not having the intensity in the first half. Was that part of the reason why you made the switch?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think I can also see that Tom Barlow had a very good training week behind him, and for me, it's a new impulse in the game, new impact. Tom is also a player that he can bring a big pressure and a big aggression in a game, and this help us a little bit more in the last time that, yeah, we have with him more power against the center back, and this was helpful.

Q. It seems like the team is falling into the trap that they had fallen into late last season, very few goals or unable to score goals in bunches, more than one goal a game. What is your plan to fix that going forward? Are you planning on cycling through your strikers? What did you have in mind?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think moments like that is always a help to learn. I think in these moments, we have to be clear what is necessary and what is not necessary, and of course we need always a compact group. They understand when it's the right time to go in a high press or you go in a compact pressing or in a midfield pressing, and I think this is also important that we have smart decisions.

In moments like that, give us the right answers for the future what we have to do and what to do. I think talents learn quick, and I hope that we have enough on that.

Q. You could see how frustrated Patryk (ph) was when he was leaving the field. I want to ask you about what was your first message to this team in the locker room and how is the locker room right now?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think the boys was very frustrated and disappointed about the draw. It's only one point and everyone understand and have the expectation for ourselves in moments like that, we have to bring the points home and the boys are very critical.

But of course, I think in some moments, you can see moments like that, you need leadership on the field, and I think we miss a little bit from that, especially in the midfield that we give the right signal, it's not the right moment to go. And this is, yeah, sometimes crazy when, yeah, the young boys, this is sometimes the advantage that they are so hungry and we'll fight and win the balls very high, and from the other side, sometimes we have moments to be compact and wait for the next moment.

I think in this situation, we have not the right balance, but the boys knows that exactly. I can see so many disappointed faces in the dressing room in the end, but we look forward. I think we have right now four games behind us. I think we stay for the international break, and I can say that we made in many directions good steps with the young group, with very talented players, and right now we have to be also critical what we have to expect in the games more and more, and also that we bring our standard, our level, high end, high end.

Today I can see some moments on a good level and also some moments I think with situations what we have to improve immediately.

Q. What was the main problem when you guys turned the ball over from the fence going forward? It looked a bit disjointed.

GERHARD STRUBER: I think this is also important that we know that Columbus is your opponent on a very, very good level on this league. They have big experience together and they have a clear style of play and they also stay very, very compact. What's to break the lines from one time in the other time.

I think we have enough moments we break the line with control but we have in the end not the right output in the attacking area. I think we was a little bit unlucky in some one-one moments and also some in close balls, we finds not the right address.

But of course, I think we can do better, our expectation at home is always that we win. We have to be forward for more. But I think we are on a good way with some learnings moment today.

Q. You mentioned the international break coming up. Given what's happened so far, do you think that we'll see more of Luquinhas, maybe more of Fletcher? What are you specifically looking to work on and improve on in the international break?

GERHARD STRUBER: I think it's always helpful when you have the trainings week and you can integrate the new players more and more.

We know that Ashley and Luquinhas had not the right team training the last few weeks, and this makes the process not easier. This means that we are careful with these players and we bring always the right load in the training for that, and also in the next few games, we bring them more and more in game time.

Yeah, I'm very, very happy that we have right now Luquinhas and Ashley here, but they are -- have to make the big jumps in our world of football, and our world of football is high intensity, it's high address and many to-dos with physical power and from this direction, they have some to-dos for them, yes.

Q. Last week, I asked you about your team's intensity, especially in the final moments of the past, at that time, three games. Today, again, we saw even after you guys look the lead, you were still trying to attack, trying to score, looking for that game-sealing goal. I think your response to it last week was, it shows that your boys are ready to win. With what happened today despite the goal to leave you guys with a draw, going into the international break, how ready are you guys to win? You guys are going to lose three people during the international break and you have a lot more training together. How ready are you to win?

GERHARD STRUBER: I think we show in the last two weeks that we are ready to win. We show also ready to win today, but not in every moment. I think I told you, yeah, what we have to improve and what is maybe the big next step. We have many boys in the group, we have a very good mindset for winning, but of course, you have to come against teams like Columbus on your personal limit, and I cannot see this every moment today.

I think this is the biggest message that when we have -- or when we want to win against teams like that, every single player must come on his personal limit. This means the starter player and this means the subs, and we have no time for a gap. I think this is very, very important that everybody knows that.

I think we made the right steps the last few weeks and we are ready for more. My boys are hungry, and I think many, many players understand what we have to do to win the game.